Attachment for telegraph-keys.



No. 772,893. PATENTED OCT. "18, 1904.

D. A. LAWRENCE. ATTACHMENT FOR TELEGRAPH KEYS.

APPLICATION FILED HOV'.18, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

' UNITED STATES Patented. October 18, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL ALLEN LAVFRENOE, OF 'WELDON, NORTH CAROLINA.

ATTACHMENT FOR TELEGRAPHKEYS- SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 772,893, dated Octo be'r 18, 1904.

Application IlleG. November 18, 1903. Serial No. 181,658. (N model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL ALLEN LAW- RENOE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Weldon, in the county of Halifax and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Attachment for Telegraph-Keys,

of which the following is a-specitication.

The invention relates to an attachment for telegraph-keys. I

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device capable of being readily attached to the button of any ordinary telegraph-key and adapted to be adjusted in a great variety of positions to enable the hand, wrist, and arm of a telegraph operator to assume an easy and natural position, whereby cramp and partial paralysis of the muscles result-ing from the strained and unnatural position of the arm,

hand, and wrist in'operating an ordinary tele-' graph-key are effectually prevented.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having a handle or grip portion capable of being readily raised and lowered to arrange it atthe desired elevation and adapted to be moved backward,

forward, and transversely of the key to accommodate itself to the position of the hand of the operator.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the view illustrating the manner of mounting the attachment on the button of a telegraph-key. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the cap for engaging the'button.

Like numerals of reference designate correspond-ing parts in all the figures of the drawings. i

1 designates an approximately-circular cap or plate having a raised central portion and inclined therefrom to its periphery, as clearly shown in Fig.3 of the drawings. The cap, which is provided 'with a flat lower face 2 to lit the upper face of the button 3 of an ordinary telegraph-key, has a socket 4 to receive a ball 5 of a rod 6, which forms a support for an adjustable cross-piece 7. The button of thekey is arranged within a tapering clovetailed way consisting of a rearwardly-tapered recess 8, having beveled side walls which are adapted to extend beneath the side edges of the button 3, whereby the cap is firmly held thereon. The recess or way is open at one end and closed at the other, and the beveled side walls form grooves. The side walls of the recess or way may be grooved in-any other desired manner. The button 3 is circular and is adapted to be firmly wedged in the tapering dovetailed recess or way, whereby the attachment is securely mounted on a telegraphkey' and is adapted .to be readily applied to and removed from any ordinary key without ad usting or manlpulatlng bolts, screws, or-

other fastening devices. This construction will also enable the attachment to be quickly transferred from one key to another, so that one attachment may beused in connection with several telegraph-keys.

The socket 4 is open atthe bottom, and the cap is provided at the'top of the socket with an aperture 9 for the reception of the rod 6, the aperture being of greater diameter than the rod to permit the latter to swing downward from avertical position in any direction, whereby the cross-piece is adapted to be moved backward, forward, and laterally of the key. When the attachment is applied to a telegraph-key, the socket is closed by the button, but the cap is provided with a set- .screw 10, and is enlarged slightly at one side at 11. This enlarged portion 11 is bored and threaded to receive the set-screw, which extends into the socket L, and which is adapted to engage the ball 5 below the center thereof. The set-screw is not only adapted to prevent the ball from leaving the socket when the device is detached from the key, but is also capable of securing the support at any desired ad ustment when it is desired to lock the support or red in such position. The ball forms a head for the rod; but the shape of the head may be varied somewhat, if desired, a ball being preferable, as it fits the top of the socket and its different portions are readily engaged by the screw.

The cross-piece, which forms a grip or handle, is provided with a central opening 12for the reception of the rod or support 6, and it is enlarged at 13 in rear of the opening, the enlarged portion 13 being bored and threaded to receive a set-screw 14 for engaging the rod or support 6, whereby the cross-piece is socured at the desned adjustment. The cross piece, which extends in opposite directions from the rod or support, has its ends curved down, but it may be in any other desired direction, and it is adapted to be readily gripped by the operator, whereby his hand, wrist, and arm are enabled to assume an easy and. natural position while he is operating a telegraphkey, thereby effectually preventing cramp and partial paralysis of the muscles resulting from the unnatural and strained position of the hand, wrist, and arm in operating an ordinary telegraph-key. The cross-piece 7 may be readily raised and lowered to arrange it at the desired elevation, and it is adapted to be moved backward, forward, and laterally of the key to arrange it to accommodate the hand of the operator and to enable the same to remain in an easy and natural position while operating a telegraph-key.

Having thus fully described my invention, what 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An attachment for telegraph-keys provided with means folmounting it on the button ofan ordinary telegraph-key, and having an adjustable hand-receiving portion, substantially as described.

2. An attachment for telegraph-keys provided with means for mounting it on a telegraph-key, and having an adjustable handle portion adapted to be raised and lowered and movable in substantially a horizontal direction, substantially as described.

3. An attachment for telegraph-keys having a hand-receiving portion capable of movement in substantially a horizontal direction and adapted to be raised and lowered, substantially as described.

4. An attachment for telegraph-keys comprising a support provided with means for movably mounting it on a telegraphkey, whereby it is adapted to be arranged either in an upright or inclined position, and a handreceiving portion adjustably mounted on the support and adapted to be raised and lowered, substantially as described.

5. An attachment for telegraph-keys comprising an adjustably-upright support, and a hand-receiving portion adjustably mounted on the support and extending therefrom in oppositedirections, substantially asdescribed.

6. An attachment for telegraph-keys eomprising an upright support, means located at the bottom of the support for securing the same to a telegraph-key, and a. hand-reeeiving portion adjustably mounted on the support substantially as described.

7. An attaehn'ient for telegraph-keys comprising a support, a halal-receiving portion adjustably mounted on the support, and means located at the lower end of the support for securing the same to the button of a. telegrzmh-key, substantially as described.

8. An attachment for telegraph-keys comprising a cap having a button-reeeiving recess or way, open at one side of the cap to permit it to slide on and off the button of a telegraph-key, substantially as described.

9. An attachment for telegraph-keys provided with a cap having a ta 'iering recess open at one end and grooved at the opposite walls to receive and engage the button of a telegraph-key, substantially as described.

10. An attachment for telegraph-keys comprising a cap provided with means for engaging the button of a telegraph-key and having a socket, a support extending upward from the cap and provided with a head fitting in the socket, and hand-receiving means mounted on the support, substantially as described.

11. An attachmentfor tclegraph-lmvs comprising a cap adapted to lit on the button of a telegraph-key, a rod extending upward from the cap and movably connected therewith, and a hand-receiving piece :uljustably mounted on the rod, substantially as described.

12. An attachment for telegra m-keys comprising a button-engaging cap, a rod extending upward from the button, and a. cross piece mounted on the rod and extending in opposite directions therefrom, substantially as described.

13. An attachment for telegraph-keys comprising a button-engaging cap having a socket, and provided at the top with an aperture communicating with the socket, a rod passing through the aperture and having a. ball arranged in the socket, a fasteningdeviee piercing the cap for engaging the ball, and a crosspiece mounted on the rod, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL ALLEN LA RFNCIC.

\Vitnesscs:

T. O. HARRISON, A. H. (arRlcuN. 

